Today, our grade eight students are taking part in the inaugural Father Michael Mireau Youth

Day. Father Mike wanted this to be a day for grade eights, since he felt that they are often the

overlooked, middle children in our junior high schools. This is truly a special day for our grade

eight students. They, along with grade eight students from across the archdiocese, will be treat-

ed to two wonderful keynote speakers in Jesse Manibusan and Mike Patin. Tomorrow, February

2, is our annual staff Faith Development Day. This year, our theme is: Life of Grace: Journey of

Love. We are pleased to welcome Jesse Manibusan and Mike Patin as our keynote speakers

as well. District staff will also have the opportunity to participate in a mass celebrated by

Archbishop Smith, along with many priests from the Archdiocese. Please remember that there is

no school for students on Faith Development Day.

On Thursday, February 4, we welcome grade six students from our elementary feeder schools,

including St. Edmund, Bishop Savaryn, Katherine Therrien and St. Charles to visit our junior high

and see what St. Edmund has to offer. A number of St. Edmund junior high students will be tak-

ing part in field trips on that day. We are very grateful to the students who will be helping us

to show off our great junior high to our grade six visitors!

This year, we will be having our Valentine’s Dance on Shrove Tuesday. We avoid celebrations

and parties during the season of lent as we stand with our Lord in the desert. We will still mark

important occasions, but we will do so in a low key manner.

On Wednesday, February 10, we will mark the beginning of the Lenten season by taking part

in Ash Wednesday masses at St. Edmund Parish. Our junior high classes will celebrate at 9:00

AM, while our elementary classes will celebrate at 10:30 AM. Parents are welcome to join us.

We would like to thank Father Patrick for celebrating two masses with us on Ash Wednesday.

We hope that all of our families enjoy some quality time together over the Family Day week-

end.

Terry Volk Darrell Cleave Kerry Carr-Jeschke Donna Rankin-Anderson

Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal

Administrators’ Message

NEW & IMPROVED WEBSITE VACATION? LET THE OFFICE KNOW CONGRATS READING STARS

2

ACCOUNTABILITY PILLAR SURVEYS GR 6 TRANSITION PASSPORTS

3

REGISTRATION & OPEN HOUSE HS REGISTRATIONS

4

GREY CUP AT ST. EDMUND THANK YOU CN! EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING NOMINEES

5

IB NEWS FOR FEBRUARY 6

ALL THINGS FRIENDLY 10

WE CARE CHALLENGE THANKS! 11

SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE 12

ARCHBISHOP SMITH’S MESSAGE 11

ST. ED KINDERGARTEN POSTER 16

ST. ED OPEN HOUSE POSTER 17

INVEST IN THE FUTURE 18

STAY ALERT 20

FEBRUARY CALENDAR 21

LAUDATO SI 15

February 2016 Inside this issue:

Page 2

February Newsletter

New and Improved St. Edmund Website Our new and improved St. Edmund website has launched! We hope that you will find the

new site easy to navigate. It contains a few features that we hope you will enjoy. You can

now click on news items on the main page or on the news page, for example, for a brief

overview of what the event entails. The online tools that so many of our parents use - in-

cluding PowerSchool fee payments, booking student-led conferences and placing hot

lunch orders - can be found on the Online School Tools page.

Sports Academy websites have been moved to our school website. For this year, Sports

Academy websites will be in two places - the existing websites and on our school website.

Both contain accurate and up-to-date information. Starting in August, Sports Academy

websites will only be accessed through our school website.

Please visit us at http://www.stedmund.ecsd.net!!

A number of our families have been going on vacations lately. We ask that if you are

going on vacation, that you please contact the school office to let us know. You may wish

to write a note in your child’s Agenda as well, but the office must be informed.

As a reminder, our classrooms are dynamic learning environments that are fluid and con-

stantly changing. Work assigned is often project-based and is designed to promote criti-

cal thinking and a deeper level of student engagement. Worksheets and paper packag-

es of student work are increasingly rare in today’s classrooms, since research shows that

they do little to promote higher level thinking skills or achievement. Because our learning

environments are so dynamic, it can be very difficult for teachers to put together packag-

es for students who will be away for an extended period of time. Consequently, we rec-

ommend that families who book vacations during the school year contact the teacher(s) to

find out what general topics of study will be examined while the student is away. The

student will be expected to read applicable textbook chapters and monitor work and

material being posted to virtual classrooms, with the understanding that the student will

likely have work to make up when he or she returns to school.

It is the responsibility of the student to see each of his or her teachers to find out what

work was missed during an absence and to complete all missed work, assignments and/or

exams. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Vacation? Please Contact the Office

Congratulations Reading Stars! We are pleased to congratulate Ms. Panizzon’s grade 5A class, who are the lucky win-

ners of our January Reading Stars draw! The 5A class read a whopping total of 9600

minutes for January. They will be treated to a pizza party on Wednesday, February 3

with Ms. Volk and Mrs. Manucci, who coordinates our Reading Stars Program.

Current St. Edmund grade six students will not receive a transition passport this year, un-

less they are planning to move to another school. It is assumed that our students will con-

tinue with us for grade seven. Consequently, their registrations will automatically roll over

for next year and they are not required to do anything other than to complete comple-

mentary course forms. In some cases, students may wish to apply for Sports Academy

programming. They can do this by accessing online forms on Sports Academy websites.

Access is available through our school website: www.stedmund.ecsd.net. (Sports academy

applications will be posted on February 4).

Letters to this effect were emailed via Synervoice and printed copies were sent home

with grade six students last week. Students who indicate they WILL NOT be returning to

St. Edmund for the 2016—2017 will be given a a Transition Passport. They are asked to

return it to the school office by Friday, March 4. We will then forward the passports to

the ECSD school the student wishes to attend. The junior high principal will then indicate

acceptance or non-acceptance. Please feel free to contact the school office with any

questions you may have.

Transition Passports for Grade Six Students

Page 3

February Newsletter

As an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar provides an op-

portunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we are equipping

students for success.

The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators consisting of surveys of students, par-

ents and teachers on various aspects of quality; student outcomes such as dropout and

high school completion rates; and provincial assessments of student learning.

From January to the end of February, Alberta Education will be conducting the annual

Accountability Pillar Survey. In January, parents of students in grades 4 - 12 (will re-

ceive a survey from Alberta Education. In February, students in grades 4 - 12 and all

teachers will be completing their surveys online at school.

All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with the school. In addi-

tion to English and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic,

Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Urdu.

Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of

education your child is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly.

Survey results will be available to school authorities in May 2016, and will be reported

publicly as part of their 3-Year Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.

Accountability Pillar Surveys

Page 4

February Newsletter

St. Edmund Registration and Open House Dates During February, we start our planning for the next school year. We are now accepting

new registrations for the 2016-2017 school year for all grades. Our Open House for all

programs is on Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 pm. We appreciate your spreading

the word about our great school to your friends and neighbours!

To register for 100 Voices, students must be 3 years old before September 30 of the

school year. Registrations for 100 Voices are facilitated at the school and coordinated

through our District Early Learning Department, since some children qualify for funding. To

register for our Kindergarten program, children must be 5 years of age on or before

March 1st, 2016. St. Edmund offers a full day kindergarten program. If you know of

anyone who is planning to register their child for 100 Voices or for kindergarten, please

have them call the school office at 780-453-1596 for more information or drop by to

register.

Our Open House for 100 Voices and Kindergarten through Grade 9 will be held on

Wednesday, February 17. We are projecting five classes for grade seven. We have

limited spaces in some of our grades, so if your friends are planning to register with us,

please encourage them to do so at their earliest convenience.

Our Open House will begin at 7:00 pm. It will include a very short general program, then

guests will be able to tour the school and take part in presentations for 100 Voic-

es/Kindergarten programs, sports academy programming and our IB programming. We

know that our best form of advertising is your sharing of the good things that are hap-

pening at St. Edmund. We thank you for passing on this information to any parents you

know who may be considering our school for the fall.

Grade 9 students are eagerly looking forward to registering for high school.

Archbishop MacDonald’s Open House is on Thursday, March 10 at 7:00 pm. They

will also be having an information session for the IB programmes on March 2 at 7:00

pm. Their designated registration evening for St. Edmund Students is on March 15,

from 6:30 - 7:30 for students whose last names begin with A-L and from 7:30 - 8:30

for students with last names beginning with M-Z.

Archbishop O’Leary’s Open House is on Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 pm. Their desig-

nated Registration Day is on Saturday, March 5 from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

St. Joseph’s Open House is on Monday, March 1 at 7:00 PM.

St. Francis Xavier focus programs (including Sports Academies) registration is on

Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00 pm.

Please plan to attend our high school open houses so that you can make the best choice

of programming for your child. 

High School Registrations

Page 5

February Newsletter

Grey Cup at St. Edmund The last school day before Valentine’s Day would ordinarily be red, pink and white day

at St. Edmund. Not this year, though!! This year, February 12 is Green and Gold Day at

St. Edmund. Members of our Grey Cup Champion Edmonton Eskimos team will be visiting

our school with the Grey Cup. Students are invited to wear their Green and Gold and

have their picture taken with the players and the cup. A big thank you goes out to Mr.

Loeffler for arranging to have Edmonton Eskimo players and the Grey Cup visit our

school!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to CN for adopting St. Edmund as part of the

Edmonton Oil Kings “Adopt-a-School” Program. This program ties businesses within the

community together with elementary and junior high schools in an effort to provide with

the inspiration to achieve. The objective of the program is to partner a business with an

area school. CN has provided us with tickets for Oil Kings home games which we are

using for students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to attend a hockey game

and also to reward students who make outstanding contributions to our school community

in many different ways. Again, thank you to CN and the Edmonton Oil Kings for provid-

ing this great opportunity our students!

Thank You CN!

Each year, Alberta Education recognizes outstanding teachers throughout the province

through their Excellence in Teaching Awards program. The Awards program was started

in 1989 in order to recognize outstanding Alberta teachers and honour their creative,

innovative and effective teaching.

We are blessed to have many truly excellent teachers at St. Edmund. In fact, it is hard to

choose just a few for recognition! This year, our nominees for the provincial Excellence in

Teaching Award are:

Katrina Filice (100 Voices)

Kalay Dumont (JH Science, Math, Rec Academy)

Rita McKinnon (JH Social Studies, Soccer Academy)

Each of our nominees are hard-working, truly innovative and inspiring teachers. We are

pleased to celebrate their gifts!

Congratulations also to Ms. Christina Panizzon, who is our nominee for the Edwin Parr

Award. The Edwin Parr Award recognizes outstanding teaching and a commitment to

education in a beginning teacher. Ms. Panizzon is a very deserving nominee!

Excellence in Teaching Nominees

February 2016

The Hidden Power of a Smile

Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a

measurable effect on your overall well-being? Ron Gutman, founder and CEO of Health Tap, reviews a

raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. His video can be found on TED talks.

This month, explore the benefits of smiling and its relation to our Catholicity and stewardship. Our Learner Profile this month is caring. We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us. How can parents help to develop students who are Caring at home?

Role model the caring behavior you would like to see in your child all the time. Your child has big eyes and ears and notices everything you do. Using kind words, helping people without being asked, being an active listener all show your child that you care about people. Even a simple thing, like holding a door for someone, shows your child that you are aware of others around you and want to help them.

Think about how your family can get involved with community organizations. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Sometimes this can be challenging, but make the effort to establish

these habits in your home. By developing children who care about the environment, you are helping the future of the globe.

Smile. After reading a book, spend some time considering how the people in the book acted. Was

someone in the book caring? All of the time or just some of the time? Were all of the characters in the book caring or just some of them? Some books to consider:

o Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes o The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein o Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss o The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

100 Voices- Mrs. Filice & Mrs. Fehr

Our 3 and 4 year olds are exploring and experimenting with light. After watching a short segment on shadow puppets we asked the children to create their own shadow puppet. To document whose shadow belonged to who we took side profile shadow photos of the kids. In our 100 Voices class the children are going through the inquiry

process to exploring light. Watching videos about light, reading non-fiction books and experimenting with light enables children as young as they are to better understand the science behind light. Kindergarten- Mrs. Hillaby & Ms. Prodor

In Kindergarten, we have been focusing on the central idea, “People belong and work in a community”. The students have been really excited throughout this unit and have enjoyed learning about all the different jobs people in our community have and the roles they play in helping to make our community a better place. The students were really excited to include their families and friends in this unit and were able to do this by interviewing a person close to them about their occupation and how it impacts the community they live in. We will be using this information to create a “kindergarten community board” outside our classrooms. We have also been exploring the different buildings within our community. The students had the opportunity to visit Genesis School and create community buildings (hospital, firehall, police station,

library, etc) using different materials, such as wood blocks, dowels, buttons, etc. We brought our buildings back to the school and will be using them to create our own community within the kindergarten classrooms.

Upper Elementary IB Board- Mrs. Padovani

Inquirer is the profile of the month for January. Students in 4A created a bulletin board that demonstrated their inquiry into Where we are in Place and Time. We began our unit with a displacement activity accompanied by 4B where they "took over" 4A's classroom, supplies and desks to mimic First Nation feelings upon European arrival in North America. Students quickly identified the injustice of the situations and used a Think See Feel chart (Step 1: See & Wonder) to document their reactions. Next, students were prompted with images of European arrival and consequently generated questions to examine throughout the unit, (Step 2: We Explore, Investigate & Discover). As a class, we read Encounter by Jane Yolen as a writing prompt where students had to create a story from the First Nations or European perspective accompanied with a 3D hand drawn image which was shared with their peers and parents. Furthermore, students became experts on an Alberta First Nations tribe of their choice. They created a succinct presentation of unique aspects of their tribe and shared their discoveries with the class, (Step 3: We Share Our Knowledge and Thinking). Students were asked to describe positive and negative consequences of colonization in North America, (Step 4: We Act & Change). Through reflection, students examined their belief system, values, and action and how this can affect the lives of others and future generations, (Step: We Reflect). Grade 3- Ms. Panaro & Mrs. Taylor

Under the central idea of “Making informed choices help maintain optimal health,” the students are inquiring in the nature of self which includes the spiritual, mental, physical and social health needed to maintain their own optimal health. At the end of the month the students will be participating in an Active Living School week which will help them

learn many ways to maintain their ultimate health goals.

Library News- Mrs. Manucci Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

With our new bulletin board in the library, we are asking students to consider people, both past and present that have impacted and influenced our world. We want students to consider how they can #belike one of these individuals and work to create positive change in our world. Ask your children who they consider to be an important person in creating change in our world and how they would like to #belike them.

WEadership Update- Ms. Ward & Mr. Pagnani This month is an exciting and kind month here at St. Edmund. The WEadership Team is looking forward at recognizing our student body throughout our 'Random Acts of Kindness' month. Each week students will write out on small paper hearts examples of when and how they demonstrated a random act of kindness. Perhaps you have shoveled a neighbor’s sidewalk, held a door open for a peer or teacher, or maybe you helped your siblings with their homework. Every week these paper hearts will be added to our GIANT St Edmund heart displayed in the hallway so that all of the visitors to our school can see how kind our staff and students are! Its photo booth time again! February 9th marks the date of our 2016 Valentine’s Day Dance and the Weadership team wants to bring the spirit with a Valentine’s Day themed photo booth! The cost again will be $2.00 per person in the photo, and all the proceeds will be going towards our final goal to help out the Health Education situation in Kenya. Finally, candy grams will also be available for purchase throughout January 25-February 10! Each candy gram will be $2.00 and again all proceeds will go to our final fundraising goal! Send one to your friends, your crush, your favorite teacher, or to yourself! Candy grams will be delivered on Friday February 12th, just in time for the Valentine's Day weekend! As always we welcome questions about the IB programme in our school. Kerry Carr-Jeschke is the co-ordinator for the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Laura Manucci is the Primary Years Programme (PYP) coordinator. They can be reached at 453-1596.

“All Things Friendly” by Gerald Bara. B.Ed / R.S.W. Emotional Behavior Specialist. St. Edmund School. Emotional Behavior classroom activities this past month include: For elementary classes (Grades 2 to 6):

• Learning how to express what they are feeling and also how to listen to someone talking about their feeling. Example. Students go say the line below to another student, filling in the blanks, " I feel ___ (Sad, mad, nervous, weak) when ___. The other student responds with listening statements like: "It's OK to feel __."" I feel like that too sometimes." "Even though you feel __ I still like you; you are my friend. You can handle it."

• Students draw a picture of 2 people. 1 is feeling sad and the other is feeling mad. Students then make up a story of what happened between these 2 people that 1 is sad and the other is mad. After suggestions are written on the board, students then draw or write out what each person can do to feel better.

• Role plays are then done with the class on how to handle some of the more tougher situations. Ex. Self-regulation, assertiveness, ignoring.

For some Junior High classes: • A friendship Skills list is done where students rate their friendship skills from excellent, to very good,

to OK or Could be better. Example. 1a. Don't put down others. 1b. Don't put down yourself

2a. Encourage others when they do hard things. 2b. Encourage yourself when you do hard things. 3a. Be a good listener to others. 3b. Be a good listener to yourself. 4a Be honest with others. 4b. Be honest with yourself. 5a. Apologize if you hurt someone's feelings 5b. Ask for an apology if someone hurt your feelings.

• Next students exchange their friendship skills list with a friend and the friend gets to agree or disagree with what you wrote. You must explain why you agree or disagree with your friends choices in an agreeable way.

* If any parents would like additional parenting coaching send me an email at Gerald.Bara@ecsd.net, saying you (Give your name) would be interested in some parenting coaching. We will book a session at the school. * Check out the Dr. Laura Markham website at www.ahaparenting.com for other supportive parenting strategies for 100 voices to grade 9 students. There is a free newsletter you can subscribe to at the bottom of the page. * Check out the Edmonton Public Library website. (www.Epl.ca). Click on “Digital Content” then “Databases” then “Health and Wellness” then “Family Behavior Toolbox”. (This toolbox is from Alberta Health Services).

 January 15, 2015  To the Staff and Students of St. Edmund School:  Thank you so much for your generous support of the WE Care Challenge. We are very happy to report that despite the downturn in our economy, this year was the most successful year ever for the WE Care Challenge!  The 51 schools or departments that participated in the WE Care Challenge this year, including St. Edmund, raised a combined total of $142,391.86 for the Sign of Hope Campaign and the ECS Foundation’s Dreams for Kids Campaign! Payroll donations on behalf of staff members  brought  this  combined  total  to $217,804.34.  This will  go a  very  long way  in  terms of  ensuring  that  both of  these  very worthwhile charities can continue serving the physical, mental and spiritual needs of the people they serve in our communities.   Your generous donation supports programs offered through Catholic Social Services such as:  

LaSalle House for women;  

Safe House, for young people living on the streets,  

McDaniel Youth Program, for young people aged 14-19 who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder,  

Rotary Centre for New Canadians, which offers one-stop settlement services for families who are new to Canada  It also supports programs offered through the ECS Foundation that directly benefit students in our schools, such as:  

Conquer Hunger Fund, which supports school lunch and snack programs,  

Guardian Angel Fund, which provides support for students with mental health issues,  

100 Voices Fund, which funds 100 Voices programming for socially and educationally disadvantaged young children (3 to 4 years of age) who would significantly benefit from early childhood education, but who do not qualify for government support,  

Dream Maker Fund, which offers financial support or subsidies so that disadvantaged students may participate in school-sanctioned retreats and other activities,  

Champions Projects fund, which assists schools with funding for projects they would not otherwise be able to undertake.  Through your generosity and caring, you are making a difference in the lives of so many families and children in our schools and in the community at large.  May God bless you for your generosity and kindness,   Terry Volk        Sandra Talarico On Behalf of the District Sign of Hope Committee   District Sign of Hope Committee Susan Makale | Lori Nagy | Dana Prefontaine | Sandra Talarico | Terry Volk | Michele Wallace 

February 2016

I have swept away your transgressions and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. ~ Isaiah 44:22 ~

This passage from Isaiah is one which echoes the essence of the life and death

of Christ. It is a wonderful passage for us to reflect upon as we enter into the Lenten season. When we wander with Jesus in the desert as He prepares for His impending death, the promise of redemption is a beacon to us at the end of the journey. We must always remember that our God so loved us that He sent His Son to redeem us. Let us always remember that God is calling us by name to live in His love; all we have to do is say “yes”.

This month, we will look at Mark 5 of Catholic School Identity: Shaped by a Spirituality of Communion. An excellent Catholic school recognizes that each and every stakeholder is responsible for the common good. Edmonton Catholic Schools has many ways for stakeholders to engage in our community at both the school and District level. Our ideal is always that we work as a team of home, school, and parish to provide the best possible educational experience for our students.

The sharing of the 5 Marks of Catholic School Identity with you over the past months has provided an excellent opportunity for all of us to reflect on the exceptional work of the staff in Edmonton Catholic Schools. Our schools and buildings are places of encounter with Christ because of the staff who gather in them each day to welcome each of our students as children of God and to bring them into closer relationship with Him.

The strength of Edmonton Catholic Schools is the commitment and dedication of our staff, whatever their role, to live out our mission to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another and bring it to life. Each month, as you read through your school newsletter, I know that you see endless examples of the wonderful learning opportunities that your children have experienced, whether it is through classroom and extra-curricular activities, or faith expressions and celebrations. Each time you enter into our schools, you experience the community, the communion, that is the result of the loving service that each teacher, administrator, educational assistant, administrative assistant, custodian, maintenance worker, consultant, specialist, or

…2

central office staff member has given as part of their vocation to making Edmonton Catholic Schools great. Please consider taking a few moments to affirm those special people who nurture your children and help them grow! Every staff member contributes to the strong fabric of who we are as a Catholic District and we are so grateful to each of them.

An excellent example of the “behind the scenes” work that is done by our departments to create excellent learning opportunities is found in the preparation for the new Science 9 Provincial Achievement Test review project that will be piloted this spring. This is a collaborative, interactive course review designed to challenge student mastery of Science 9 concepts. Learning Services Innovation is in the process of preparing resource items for ‘Unit Bins’ to facilitate their use in various settings. The aim is to showcase strategies to all Science 9 teachers in deepening student learning. At the high school level, consultants are working with teachers to develop new district final exam items. The goal of the two-year project is to develop authentic summative assessments that allow students to demonstrate their critical thinking skills and problem solving ability. For example, “Water Quality of the North Saskatchewan River” is one of the videos created with our students. It provides a rich context for the written-response items on the Biology 20 final.

Also in the works for science is the 5th Annual BEST Conference – Best Exploration of Science (along with engineering, the environment, technology and math). The event will be hosted by St. James School. Up to 250 Edmonton Catholic Schools students in Grades 4 to 6, along with their teachers and parents, will come together on Saturday, April 16th to explore as “Tinkers and Thinkers”. This year the theme is inspired by Star Wars… Science Awakens!

February is a very busy month for our staff with respect to faith and professional development. As part of our commitment to lifelong growth and learning, there are two important events for us. On February 2, every member of our staff will gather together as a community grounded in Christ to learn about our faith and to celebrate the Eucharist as part of Faith Development Day. February 25 and 26 mark the days of the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention (GETCA). This Alberta Teachers’ Association event is just one way in which our teachers access ongoing professional development in areas of personal relevance to them. GETCA is sponsoring a public evening event on Wednesday, February 24 at 7 pm at the Westin. Dr. Eva Olsson, a 91 year old survivor of Auschwitz, will speak about forgiveness and compassion. All are welcome.

In closing, our Holy Father has provided us with a beautiful setting as we approach Lent this year. “The season of Lent during this Jubilee Year should also be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy. How many pages of Sacred Scripture are appropriate for meditation during the weeks of Lent to help us rediscover the merciful face of the Father!” (Misericordiae Vultus, N.17)

Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent

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February 2016

Dear Friends,

The end of the Christmas season has us taking down our Christmas trees and packing up our

decorations. I pray that this past Christmas was a time to encounter God’s love as we celebrated

the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. I also wish each of you a blessed new year 2016.

On Wednesday, February 10th the Church will enter the season of Lent. Lent, a time of

preparation for Easter, is marked by prayer, fasting and alms giving. This year we celebrate Lent

during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis has invited the entire church on a

pilgrimage to focus our attention on the Mercy of God. Jesus’ words in the Gospel of St. Luke,

“Be merciful, just as your father is merciful”, are a central theme for this Year of Mercy.

A Jubilee Year in the church includes a pilgrimage and the passing through a Holy Door. Pope

Francis has opened the Holy Door at the four Major Basilicas in Rome. The Holy Father asked

that every diocese have a Holy Door that our parishioners may enter through. The Holy Door for

the Archdiocese of Edmonton is at St. Joseph’s Cathedral-Basilica downtown. I invite you to come

in pilgrimage to the Basilica and enter though the Holy Door as we come to an ever deeper

awareness of God’s mercy. I know that our schools have each designated a door as a Holy Door

and our students have a number of resources that will enable them to enter this Year of Mercy

in a meaningful way.

I pray that the season of Lent will be a time to once again deepen our relationship with God,

coming once again to know of his mercy and love.

Richard W. Smith

Archbishop of Edmonton

LAUDATO SI’ Chapter Four – Integral Ecology

No matter who we are or where we find ourselves in relation to protecting the environment, Pope Francis has this message for us: “I invite all to embrace with open hearts this Encyclical which is in line with the Church’s social doctrine” [General Audience, June 17, 2015]. The summary quote of this chapter’s goal reads: “Since everything is closely interrelated, and today’s problems call for a vision capable of taking into account every aspect of the global crisis, I suggest that we now consider some elements of an integral ecology, one which clearly respects its human and social dimensions” [#137]. In chapter four on Integral Ecology Pope Francis writes, “We are faced not with two separate crisis, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature” [#139]. Pope Francis maintains that all aspects of life are interrelated with the physical environment having an effect on social life. A consumerist vision diminishes cultural variety, which is the heritage of all humankind. Environmental mistreatment and degradation can undo social structures that shape the cultural identity of a community. “The disappearance of a culture can be just as serious as, or even more serious than, the disappearance of a species of plant or animal” [#145]. The pope reminds us all that it is fundamental to pay tribute to indigenous people and their cultural traditions for whom “land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which thy need to interact if they are to maintain their identity and values” [#146]. Pope Francis said that human beings make every effort to adjust to their environment, “but when it is disorderly, chaotic or saturated with noise and ugliness, such overstimulation makes it difficult to find ourselves integrated and happy” [#147]. Likewise, “In the unstable neighborhoods of megacities, the daily experience of overcrowding and social anonymity can create a sense of uprootedness which spawns antisocial behavior and violence” [#149]. Pope Francis said that even in the midst of such extreme poverty, the poor are able to create bonds of belonging and closeness that can tear the walls of selfishness down. Towards the end of chapter four the pope urges us to be mindful of the value of the future generations, emphasizing humanity’s common destiny, “which cannot exclude those who come after us. … Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others” [#159]. “Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us. The issue is one which dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn” [#160]. Fr. Julian Bilyj District Chaplain St. Matthew Catholic School

St. EdmundElementary/Jr High School

Full Day Kindergarten Program

www.stedmund.ecsd.net

Open HouseWednesday, February 17

at 7:00pm

100 Voices Program (Pre-K)

St. EDmUNDElEMEnTARy/JR HIGh

WEDNESday, FEB. 1 7 At 7:00pm

11712-130 Avenue780 453-1596

www.stedmund.ecsd.net

Open HoUSeI n t e r n a t i o n a lBaccalaureate and S p orts Acad emy p r o g r a m m i n g

11712-1377

mundwww stedm

a mp r o g rp r o g r

RRIISSKK-TAKERS

Alberta Education invites you to play an importantrole in your child’s education.

By completing this survey, you are giving yourschool, your school authority and your provincialgovernment important information to gauge thequality of education your child is receiving andmake improvements where needed.

When you fill out the attached Accountability Pillarsurvey, you’re adding your voice to the future ofeducation in your school and throughout Alberta.Results are used by schools, school authoritiesand government to see what’s working and whatneeds to be improved.

We all have a part to play in the important work of educating the next generation of Albertans.

Thank you for your participation.

David Eggen Minister of Education

Invest in the future.

If you have any questions, please contact: Anthony Warren, Alberta Education E: Anthony.Warren@gov.ab.ca T: (780) 422-4750 (toll-free access within Alberta by dialing 310-0000 first)

Please return your completed survey in the enclosed,

pre-paid envelope by February 26, 2016.

A true picture of our success.Measuring the quality of your child’s education

We want to know that our children are receiving a quality education in a great school. Grades are important, but there’s more to it.

A great school and its staff help every child to make the most of their talents and abilities. Great schools are caring, secure and encourage parents to play a key role. It’s all about each student’s success.

While it’s easy to agree on such goals, how do we measure our progress toward them?

The Accountability Pillar is an innovative and straightforward way to measure our learning goals as schools, school authorities and as a provincial government.

Results are provided in a colour-coded and easy-to-read report so everyone in the community can review it. At a glance, it points out successes and areas of concern from both a local and provincial perspective.

The results report shows which measures have improved, remained consistent and which have declined. It allows everyone - parents, teachers, school authorities, students and the province - to celebrate successes and respond to challenges together.

The Accountability Pillar looks at:

• Survey results - every year between January and March we survey students, their parents and teachers to see how they perceive the quality of education they receive and take part in

• Student learning indicators such as dropout rates, high school completion rates and the number of students eligible to receive Rutherford Scholarships

• Student results from Provincial Achievement Tests and Diploma Exams

Details about the Accountability Pillar and how to obtain results are available online at http://www.education.alberta.ca/accountability

STAY Alert

February, 2016

The importance of being an involved parent can never be overstated. By being involved, it means actual face-to-face time with our children. Students, for the most part, are tech savvy. They use technology regularly and have become very good at applying it at almost every opportunity. An on-going issue arising from this experience is the lack of time actually engaged in personal, face-to-face communications. Have you ever had a conversation with your child and had them disengage, become totally involved in a text message, then look up at you and say, “What?” Or have you ever being engaged in an activity with your child and had to stop while they answer that urgent text message? Unfortunately, these types of behaviours are becoming the norm. The consequence of these behaviours have far reaching consequences.

1. The person engaged in the face-to-face conversation becomes unimportant. This affects how relationships and friendships develop.

2. The child believes the behaviour is acceptable and causes school conflicts between teachers and students.

3. The child loses out on the things that are occurring right in front of them. Then, when they miss the opportunity, they can become aggressive and don’t understand why. They have learned that responding to text messages is more important than the face-to-face conversation occurring in real time.

4. This behaviour is carried over into the work place causing conflict between employers and employees. We need to work with our students so they learn the importance of face-to-face communication. The text message from their ‘friend’ really doesn’t need an answer immediately. Students need to understand that instant messaging doesn’t mean instant reply. Some ideas that may help teach these principles may be simple practices like:

1. No cell phones at the dinner table. 2. Participate in specific activities with your children and purposely turn off all cells phones during the

activity. 3. Rule of thumb: ‘substitute’ the cell phone with a newspaper and determine if it would be appropriate

to read. Example: While conversing with your child, would it be appropriate to suddenly begin reading a newspaper?

Engage your children in face-to-face conversations about events that interest or have some relevance to both of you. Ask them to ignore that ‘instant message’ when until after the conversation. It is critically important that you, as the parent, follow the same protocol and ignore any messages you receive during the conversation.

School Team Advisors for Youth (STAY) Junior high schools in the Edmonton Catholic School District each have ‘School Team Advisors for Youth’ (STAY) which are comprised of retired police officers.

The STAY role involves:

• Educating, mentoring, and empowering students. • Educating and mentoring parents on the realities their children face each day by raising parent awareness on

these issues. • Educating and mentoring staff on the realities that students face each day. Working in partnership with the

administration of the school to develop action plans for safety and health of all students.

Stay Advisors in our junior high schools make a difference in the lives of our youth by encouraging them to “STAY” in school. The STAY teams work hard to ensure our youth succeed in life.

February 2016 Sun  Mon  Tue  Wed  Thu  Fri  Sat 

  1 Fr Mike Mireau Youth

Day (Gr 8)

2 Faith Development

Day. No School for

Students.

3 

 

4 Gr 6 Feeder School

Visit

JH Ac vity Day

5 NFL Fan Favourite Day

6 

7  8 

9 Shrove Tuesday

Red, Pink, White Day

Valen ne’s Dances

10 Ash Wednesday Masses

11 

12 Grey Cup Visit—AM

Green & Gold Day

13 

14  15 Family Day. No School.

16 17 St. Edmund Open

House. 7:00 PM

18 19 20 

21  22 23 Pink Shirt Day (Say

“No” to Bullying)

24 25  26 27 

28  29    

11712 - 130 Avenue | Edmonton, AB | T5E 0V2

Phone: 780-453-1596 | Fax: 780-454-8013

E-mail: 8215web@ecsd.net

St. Edmund Elementary/Junior High School

Forest School—Kindergarten A (Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri)

Teachers’ Conven on ‐ No School

Primary Dental Check‐ups